Sport activities Essays - Psychology, Narcissism, Behavior

Sport activities Made by Martynas Vilkas 12B Teacher: Vida Ivakeviien 2015-2016 Kaunas Varpas gymnasium Word bank Exaggeration perdjimas; iptimas. Self-esteem savigarba. Hypertension hipertenzija (padidjs kraujospdis). Detrimental alingas, nuostolingas. Sports in general Sport is probably as old as the humanity itself. It has been developing along with the mankind. Sport makes us stronger, sharpens our reaction, and shapes our bodies. Moreover, it also makes our lifestyle more active and healthy, gives us so valuable practice in making eyes, brain and muscles work together and makes us more self-organized and better disciplined. Furthermore, I am sure that doing sports is the best way to keep fit. There is always a kind of sport which will suit you and there are many different kinds to choose from. If you like team games, try hockey, football, volleyball or basketball and if you enjoy doing things on your own, you may take up swimming, riding, golf or athletics. Sport advantages It would be not an exaggeration to say that sport takes up a big part in our lives. First, it can help to keep us fit or to get back in shape, so you could have a well-trained body, a better and more positive image of your appearance and consequently you could increase your self-esteem. Secondly, it can improve the quality of your life, make your immune defense system stronger and avoid health problems, indeed those who practice regularly sport are less likely to be overweight, to have heart attacks, hypertension and high blood pressure. Third, sport can be an excellent cure for stress, anxiety, depression and sleeping problems. Sport disadvantages It is quite evident that sport implies some disadvantages as well: first, doing sport requires time, so you should be good at organizing all your tasks, second, sometimes sport requires money too, especially if want to go to the gym. Third, if you play sport. You can be more susceptible to injuries and do long-term damages, therefore be careful! Furthermore sport, particularly if you play in competitive level, can have detrimental effects, like pressure to win and play well at all costs which can lead to the damaging decision of using drugs to get better performances. Questions Do you workout and if so, how often? How important is sport in your life? What kind of sports do you enjoy doing the most?

Weird tourist attractions across the globe. Read more

Weird tourist attractions across the globe. Read more Top 6 weird tourist attractions around the world Halloween tours gain popularity among common travelers, as they allow you to explore the creepiest places on our planet. We’ve made a list of tourist spots that will set your imagination on fire. For all those, who love things that go bump in the night and can’t live without the mysterious, we have a treat: The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland. Basalt columns, shaped in the form of a giant’s palm, are known to be one of the best sites in Northern Ireland. The odd structure that dates back to the days when Anglo-Saxons ruled Britain resembles a fantastic composition out of a fairy tale and is popular among tourists, who want a touch of history to their traveling routine. The Tianzi Mountains, China. Located in the Hunan Province in China, these peaks are nothing short of the ordinary. They are often covered in mist, and fog never ceases to flow over the cliffs. Many people say this is because the place is sacred, and tourists are attracted by sense of wonder that is present in Tianzi. You can take a car to the nearby village and later choose one of the trails to soak in the views. Besides, the magical sight of the mountains inspired film directors to create â€Å"Avatar†. The floating cliffs that we see in the movie are certainly a tribute to the Tianzi. The Nasca Lines, Peru. These strange geometric figures and animalistic images, etched into Pampa de San Josà ©, remain a mystery and excite a traveler’s mind anytime one comes closer for examination. Visible only from a distance and from a tower, located nearby, these lines may serve as an evidence of an ancient civilization that once inhabited the barren lands. What makes this sight even more exciting is the art of performance. The Nasca made the images stretch in one single line, and some of the shapes and forms are still not explained by science. Socotra Island, Yemen. Socotra Island may not belong to Africa geographically, but its unique flora causes scientists to open their mouths in awe. The island is mainly comprised of barren lands, covered with various species of fruits and plants. Most of them look bizarre to a European eye, and the biodiversity that is present on Socotra can make anyone speechless. Travelers love Socotra for its unbelievable atmosphere and the feeling of otherworldliness that engulfs you once you step on this land. Among the species that are particularly eccentric we can name the dragon’s blood tree with its extensive root system and a crown that looks majestic and scary. Chocolate Hills of Bohol Island, the Philippines. Conical in shape, these hills were once coral deposits. UNESCO named them one of the world's natural wonders, though some of the scientists claim their origin to be man-made. However, the hills are now more than 1, 000 years old, and when the rainy season is over, they gradually turn brown. This is why people associate them with chocolate cones and ice cream every time they are mentioned in the press. Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. Though it may look like a Martian surface from the distance, this site has nothing to do with space. Situated two miles away from Salt Lake City, strange concrete formations earned their name due to their eerie shape. Scientists claim that years of erosion and exposure to wind and sand have caused these structures to look the way they do now. You can take a drive from Salt Lake City to see the goblin monuments with your own eyes – the impression is all the more creepy as they are located in the middle of a barren plain.

Research and critically discuss the impact of Taylorism and Fordism on Essay

Research and critically discuss the impact of Taylorism and Fordism on contemporary management approaches and practices - Essay Example For instance, one of the limitations of Taylorism is the absence of autonomy and â€Å"lack of flexibility† (Fruijt, 2003, p. 4) which can make jobs become â€Å"repetitive† and â€Å"boring† (Lucey, 2005, p. 65). On the other hand, Fordism is being criticized for being ineffective when managing business organizations during slow economic growth (Amin, 2003). Even though a lot of modern companies have decided to move away from the use of Taylorism and Fordism when managing people, it is assumed that some forms of management practices and approaches that were introduced under the models of Taylorism and Fordism are still very much applicable in today’s management approaches and practices. To help the readers gain a better understanding of the subject matter, the similarities and differences between Taylorism and Fordism will first be tackled followed by critically analyzing the effects of Taylorism and Fordism on the present-day management approaches and practices. The models of Taylorism and Fordism were very much applicable in managing large-scale manufacturing firms back in 1980s (Henderson, 2011, p. 8). Furthermore, both models of Taylorism and Fordism focused on how to increase mass production efficiency (Tatli, 2008; Amin, 2003, p. 6; Fruijt, 2003). Considered as a traditional strategy used in management planning, Fordism introduced the concept of â€Å"just in case† approach (Alfasi & Portugali, 2004; Amin & Tomaney, 1995, p. 206). In line with this, Fordists’ â€Å"just in case† approach is all about stockpiling either parts or finished goods (Waters, 2013, pp. 80 – 81). Likewise, to reduce employees’ turnover rate and work resistance, Henry Ford decided to introduce the need to pay employees a higher wage for their services (i.e. â€Å"five dollar day†) (Vidal, 2011). Fordism also requires the need to separate business ownership with management control, decentralization, acknowledgement of lab our unions, collective bargaining, and the

Greece And Rome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Greece And Rome - Essay Example Arguably no one knows the origin and relationships of the gods better than Hesiod, in his Theogony on ‘Origin of the Gods,’ besides Homer. â€Å"He [Hesiod] collected and retold many of the myths of the birth of the universe, the creation and the coming of the gods† (Greek par. 4). It all began with Chaos. Next came Gaea or Earth, then heaven and hell, night and day. Gaea lay with Heaven and they birthed multiple children such as Oceanus, Rhea, Themis, and above all, Cronos, who they feared because of his hateful nature (Hesiod ll. 116-138). The issue with them stemmed from their father’s hate. They were forced to lie in hiding away from any source of light. Gaea decided to give her children the means to defy their father. It was Cronos who accepted the challenge. He cut away Heaven’s reproductive organs and the rest of the giants on earth whose parts turned into foam and drifted at sea for a long time until out sprang Aphrodite, the goddess of love (Hesiod ll. 188-206). Hesiod’s poem explained how earth, heaven, hell, day, and night were formed. Since the citizens of Greece lacked modern science, this was the only means by which the Greeks could decipher their environment and imagine what life would be like in heaven or hell. The renowned gods the Greeks portrayed in their lives were the children of the Titans (specifically Rhea and Cronos). The eldest Olympians, first generation, were as follows: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. Hestia was a virgin goddess who did not marry and stood for hearth and home (Hestia par. 1). Demeter stood for ‘mother earth’ and is associated with her daughter, Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades (Demeter par. 2). She is the goddess whom the Greeks deemed to be in charge of changing the seasons according to which Persephone spends time on earth, i.e. Spring/Summer vs. Autumn/Winter. Hera is most notably the queen of the gods and Zeus’s wife. A jealous goddess, she stands for marriage and is worshipped as a masculine, formidable figure by kings and warriors (Hera par. 2-4). In fact, she bore Ares, the god of war. Hades, Poseidon and Zeus are regarded as the three prime brothers who ruled over mortals. Hades became the god of the underworld (Hades par. 1) and Poseidon, the god of the sea (Poseidon par. 2). Zeus, of course, became the king of the gods when he overthrew his father, Cronos (Zeus par. 2): And he set free from their deadly bonds the brothers of his father/ Sons of Heaven whom his father in his foolishness had bound/ And they remembered to be grateful to him for his kindness/ And gave him thunder and the glowing thunderbolt and lightening:/ For before that, huge Earth had hidden these/ In them he trusts and rules over mortals and immortals. (Hesiod ll. 492- 506) Once he overthrew Cronos, Zeus freed his brothers and sisters and created man. These are some of the reasons why he is worshipped as the king of the gods by Gree k society. The second generation of gods came about by various pairings between Zeus and Hera, or Zeus and other goddesses or mortal women, etc. Some gods were born by no pairings at all. Athena, for example, sprouted from Zeus’s brain. Hesiod describes the various lovers of Zeus in lines 901-1022 of the Theogony. One of the affiliations is illustrated as such: â€Å"

Culture and Religion - Shrine Pilgrimage in Turkmenistan Essay - 1

Culture and Religion - Shrine Pilgrimage in Turkmenistan - Essay Example These groups find their linkage with four caliphs of Islam. Owlat people are given special respect by tribes of Turkmenistan and their property is inviolable in Turkmenistan. This status of inviolable property has strengthened the Owlat people by ensuring economic stability. Pilgrimage of shrines is the activity that kept people of Turkmenistan on the path of Islam. Despite all the banes of soviet rule on pilgrimage activities, people kept visiting the holy sites because of their emotional and spiritual attachments. After getting the independence from soviet rule, the pilgrimage activities once again flourished in Turkmenistan. Importance of holy activities and their impact on human life and on culture is discussed in detail in paragraphs to follow: Pilgrimage culture prevailed by early tribal settlement in Turkmenistan and this culture and trends were brought by â€Å"Oghuz Khan†. Turkmen follow â€Å"holy groups† known as â€Å"Owlat†. Six Owlet groups are respected according to level of their spiritual powers. These groups find their linkage with four caliphs of Islam and ultimately with Prophet (peace be upon him). Turk people started considering Owlat people for different festivals of life like, marriage, life cycle, cultivation of crops and religious guidance etc. Every important work of human life used to get started with the hands of an Owlat, for the reasons of good end. â€Å"Gonambashi† is the term used for head of a cemetery in Turkmenistan. Gonambashi is the first man buried and around him, other people of community are buried. Gonambashi was respected for its spiritual powers to help people coming to his grave. â€Å"Keramatlier† is another word used during shrine activity that means â€Å"place of miracles†. According to soviet specialists, Muslims of 20th century called themselves â€Å"half Muslims†, because of not following real teachings of Islam. Soviet rule aimed at anti religious

Classical Theory of International Trade

Classical Theory of International Trade The purpose of this chapter is to review the existing body of knowledge about foreign direct investment and the studies on strategies adopted to attract FDI. It attempts to present a summary of the relevant theories, hypotheses and schools of thought that contribute to the understanding and fundamental motivation of FDI flows. An exploration of these theories will assist in the study and it will support arguments to be used in empirical estimation and discussion. Additionally the aim of this chapter is to review the theoretical approaches to the determinants of FDI, also known as private foreign investment. Various theories have been developed since the World War II to explain FDI. These theories state that a number of determinants both at micro and macro level could explain FDI flows in a particular country or a particular region. Various studies have also been published on the assessment of the key determinants of FDI. However, there is no general agreement insofar, especially that in different context, specific factors may vary significantly in their degree of importance as regards to FDI. 2.2 Definition of FDI Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a category of investment that reflects the objective of establishing a lasting interest by a resident enterprise in one economy (direct investor) in an enterprise (direct investment enterprise) that is resident in an economy other than that of the direct investor. The lasting interest implies the existence of a long-term relationship between the direct investor and the direct investment enterprise and a significant degree of influence on the management of the enterprise. The direct or indirect ownership of 10% or more of the voting power of an enterprise resident in one economy by an investor resident in another economy is evidence of such a relationship (OECD, year 2008 Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment 4th Edition). The Benchmark Definition is fully compatible with the underlying concepts and definitions of the International Monetary Funds (IMF) Balance of Payments and International Investment Positions Manual, 6th edition (BPM6) and the general economic concepts set out by the United Nations System of National Accounts (SNA). In accordance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Developments (OECD) Benchmark Definition, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is said to be an investment which entails a long duration equation and is an indication of sustained interest and authority by a hosted firm in an economy (foreign direct investor or origin firm) in a firm hosted in a country other than that of the foreign direct investor (FDI firm or associated firm of foreign affiliate). FDI entails both the initial dealing between two enterprises and all following money dealing between them and amid the associated firm, both integrated and non-integrated (OECD, 2008). The concept of FDI took prominence in 1962 following the publication of an article- Development Alternatives in an Open Economy by Hollis Chenery and Michael Bruno wherein a two-gap analysis of capital requirements was formulated. They pointed out that foreign investment apart from foreign aid and foreign trade was important to fill the resource gap needed to finance economic development especially for countries where their imports exceed their exports. FDI stimulates larger flows of private capital for the development of the recipient countries. Increase in FDI is not enough. It must ensure that the said increase is meeting the development objectives of the recipient countries. FDI must go beyond private while government must ensure that risks are not too high or the return on investment is not too low. Being given that private capital offers some special advantages over public capital, there must be a mutual interest for both private foreign investors and the host country. The latt er will have to assist in securing information on investment opportunities and establish economic overhead facilities such as industrial estates, protective tariffs, exemption from import duties and tax concessions schemes. 2.3 Theories of FDI Over the past few decades, extensive research have been conducted on the behaviour of multinational firms and determinants of FDI and many authors have put forward various theories (and complementary) to explain them. Theories and contexts that are being developed are challenging established facts, systems and knowledge bases. Though many theories have been developed to explain various dimensions of FDI, the current chapter will endeavour to examine the following paradigms considering the scope of the present study namely: the classical international trade theory, the neoclassical location theory, the market imperfection theory, the OLI paradigm and Porters Diamond theory. Broadly speaking the theories could be classified as international trade theories dealing with comparative advantage for nations to go for trade and foreign direct investment theories relating to corporate advantage for foreign corporations  entering the host countries. 2.3.1 Classical Theories of International Trade The concept of FDI cannot be disassociated with the basis of why countries trade and the latter has been pioneered by the famous classicists namely Adam Smith (1776) with his Absolute Advantage theory and David Ricardo (1819) with his Comparative Advantage theory of trade. Adam Smith, the founder of economic theory, was the first to broach in Wealth of Nations that business would grow internationally for real economic growth. Both Smith and Ricardo concluded that countries would benefit from international trade if they have an absolute and comparative advantage in those products that they would be exporting and they should import those goods for which they have an absolute and comparative disadvantage. Consequently they were of the opinion that there should be complete specialisation by the countries involved in international trade based on the same principle as that of division of labour. They based their reasoning on the labour theory of value. The labour theory of value states that the value or price of a commodity is equal to or can be inferred from the amount of labour time going into the production of the goods. It, however, assumes that labour is the only factor of production and that it is also homogeneous. Because of these restrictive assumptions, the labour theory of value was contested and replaced by the opportunity cost advantage propounded by G.Haberler in 1936. The latter emphasised more on how a country has a comparative advantage rather than on what are the determinants of comparative advantage. It says that the cost of a commodity is the amount of a second commodity that must be given up in order to release just enough factors of production or resources to be able to produce one additional unit of the first  commodity. Consequently labour will not be the only factor of production and will not be homogeneous. 2.3.2 The Heckscher-Ohlin (HO) Theory The HO theory also known as factor endowment model was put forward by Heckscher (1919) and Ohlin (1933) and was among the modern theories of international trade showing the causes of international trade. Adam Smith and David Ricardo remained silent on the causes of trade and on how trade affects factor prices and the distribution of income in each of the trading nations. The HO theorem postulates that each nation will export the commodity intensive in its  relatively abundant and cheap factor and import the commodity intensive in its relatively scarce and expensive factors of production. It implies that a country must have the necessary resources to export goods. Some of the assumptions of the model again act as its own limitations on its effectiveness namely when it comes to free trade with no transport costs, tastes are similar across countries, perfect competition in factor and commodity markets, factors immobility internationally, use of same technology in the production of the two goods andtwo factors of production and two countries model (2x2x2 model). There has been extensions to the HO model namely through the Stolper-Samuelson model (1949) and Rybczynski theorem (1955). These theorems postulate that trade leads to the equalisation of relative and absolute factor prices between nations so that there will be internationalisation of prices and wages based on still the restrictive assumptions as those under the HO model. As Faeth (2009) and Seetanah and Rojid (2011) highlight, the first explanations of FDI were based on the models propounded by Heckscher-Ohlin (1933), according to which FDI was motivated by higher profitability in foreign markets with the possibility to finance these investments at relatively low rates of interest in the host country. Ohlin also observed that availability and securing sources of raw materials, flexible and business friendly trade policies as well as accessibility and availability of factors of production were the components influencing FDI inflows into the country. 2.3.3 Modern International Trade Theories There have been empirical tests concerning the traditional trade theories namely the Ricardian and HO models. Some tests have gone according to the theories while others have disproved them. For instance Sir Donald MacDougall in 1951 tested the Ricardian theory using the 1937 data for the USA and UK for 25 industry groups whereby it was found that US wages were twice as those for UK resulting in the USA being capital intensive while UK being labour intensive. However, according to Dougall there is incomplete specialisation as opposed to complete specialisation proposed in the Ricardian model. This is based on the fact that tastes are different, products are non-homogeneous, transport costs matter and industry groups are highly aggregated where we can have different model for a particular products like cars and cigarettes. The USA may have comparative advantage in cars but this does not prevent the UK from exporting one or two different models. Sir Donald MacDougall has also in 1960 talked about the benefits and costs associated with private investment from abroad. He pointed out that an increase in FDI will lead to an increase in real income based on the fact that value added to output by foreign capital is greater than the amount appropriated by the foreign investor as foreign capital raises overall productivity in the host country. With FDI, social returns are far greater than private returns based, inter alia, on the  following: (a) Domestic labour having a higher real wages; (b) Consumers having better choice with lower prices; (c) Host Government getting higher tax revenue; (d) Realisation of external economies of scale; (e) An alternative to labour migration from the poor country; (f) Increase in managerial ability and technical personnel; (g) Transfer of technology and innovation in products; and (h) Serving as a stimulus for additional domestic investment. However, Sir Dougall also warned that there is need for the host country to have the right additional public expenditure as foreign investors are likely to be less interested in receiving an exemption after a profit is made than in being sure of a profit in the first instance. Wassily Leontief tested the HO theory in 1951 and 1956 and found that the USA imports competing were about 30% more capital intensive than its exports. Since the USA was the most capital abundant nation, this result was the opposite of what the HO theory predicted and this became known as the Leontief paradox. Although subsequently the Leontief paradox was partly resolved in the 1980s, it led to the spring ball of modern theories of trade namely Linders thesis (Similar Preference Model or Spillover Theory), Posners Model (Technological Gap Model or Innovation -Imitation Model) in 1961 and the Product Cycle theory of Vernon in 1966. The HO model is inappropriate in explaining trade between countries with the same level of development while with the Spillover theory especially concerning manufactured goods, industrialised countries which have similar factor abundant can trade together. The Linders thesis rests on the belief that a country will export a particular commodity if it has a domestic market for the goods. In fact, domestic market is exploited first. If there are economies of scale in the domestic market, there will be a cost advantage to make export possible. Goods will be exported to countries with similar tastes and similar level of development so that trade will take place with countries of similar living standards. The technological gap theory is typical for the industrialised countries. It states that new products are likely to emerge in the market as a result of innovation. At first production is made for the domestic market. Then firms which bring forth these products have economic rent so that they have strong monopoly position. This makes it easier to tap international market. But this product in question is imitated overseas after some time period. Therefore, there is a shift in comparative advantage. So, we can say that there is an innovation-imitation process. We talk of technological gap because there is a gap between the country which invent the product and those which imitate them. The product life cycle model is an extension of the technological gap model. It states that any product moves through different stages or cycles and comparative advantage keeps shifting during these stages. There are four stages namely: Stage I New product for domestic market only Stage II If product is successful, there is overseas demand so that exportation will be possible Stage III Exports decline because overseas firms produce the goods due to innovation-imitation theory Stage IV Because of comparative advantage, the second country export the product to the first country, that is, the latter will start importing the goods which only a few years back was exporting it. Vernon (1966) explained that FDI will occur when the product enters its mature stage in the product life cycle hypothesis. Vernon (1979) re-examined his own theory and came to the conclusion that the cycle has shortened considerably whereby multinational companies are now more geographically diffused. 2.3.4 Market Imperfections Theories The suggestion that FDI is a product of market imperfection was first discussed by Hymer (1976). He also confirms that investment abroad involves high costs and risks inherent to the drawbacks faced by multinationals because they are foreign. The model was later extended by Caves (1971) and Buckley and Casson (1976) into the internationalisation theory. Hymer shifted the theory of FDI out of the neoclassical international trade theories and into industrial organization (the study of market imperfections). He also argued that there are two factors motivating FDI, namely: (i) the attempt to reduce and/or remove international competition among firms; and (ii) the desire of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) to increase their returns from the utilization of their special advantages. Foreign firms face disadvantages compared to domestic firms, mainly due to the extra costs of doing business in an alien territory and given the information on cost disadvantages, a foreign firm will engage in FDI activity only if it enjoys offsetting advantages such as superior/newer technology, better products or simply firm-level economies of scale. Buckley and Casson (1976) talked about the internalization theory of foreign direct investment. An important pre-requisite for internalisation whether being executed vertically or horizontally, is the existence of an imperfect market. They stated that there are two ways in which a firm can internalise namely by replacing a contractual relationship with unified ownership and secondly by internalising an advantage such as production knowledge through the establishment of a market where there is initially an absent of the said market. Together with the internalisation theory, there is the transaction cost theory put forward by Williamson (1975). He investigated whether a firms transactions are governed by hierarchy or the market. He identified three dimensions to this problem, namely (i) the frequency with which a transaction occurs; (ii) asset specificity; and (iii) uncertainty in the presence of uncertainty and also as uncertainty increases, it is better to govern through a hierarchy rather than through the market and vice versa. Caves (1982) also developed the rationale for horizontal integration (specialised intangible assets with low marginal costs of expansion) and vertical integration (reduction of uncertainty and building of barriers to entry). 2.3.5 The OLI Paradigm John Dunning (1988) in his Explaining International Production proposed an eclectic paradigm also known as the ownership-location-internalisation (OLI) paradigm. The OLI paradigm argued that FDI activity is determined by a composite of three sets of forces namely: Foreign firms enjoying ownership advantages in the form of better technology, product quality, or simply brand name, and other organizational knowledge that are not available to local firms. In other words, it refers to the competitive advantages which firms of one country possess over firms of another country in supplying a particular market or set of markets through product differentiation. These advantages may accrue either from the firms privileged ownership of assets or from their ability to co-ordinate these assets (common management strategy with a global scanning capacity) with other assets across national boundaries in a way that benefits them relative to their competitors;   Foreign firms can benefit from location advantages. This will make FDI activity more profitable than exporting. Examples can be: availability of cheap labour or other factors of production; market size, lower transportation cost, and trade barriers. This refers to the extent to which firms choose to locate value-adding activities outside their national jurisdictions; Foreign firms may seek internalisation advantages which arise when ownership advantages are best exploited internally rather than when offered to other firms through contractual arrangements, i.e. franchising, management contract etc. In other words, we here refer to the extent to which firms perceive it to be in their best interests to internalise foreign markets for the generation and/or use of their assets with a view to add value to them and reduce the high information costs. The significance of the eclectic paradigm, however, varies across industries, countries and firms. Another problem with the eclectic paradigm is that each of the Ownership, Location and Internalisation variables tends to be interdependent. For instance, a firms response to the independent locational variables may influence its ownership advantages and also its willingness to internalise markets. This is well known as the problem of multicollinearity among exogenous variables which can reduce the empirical validity of the model. 2.3.6 Porters Diamond Theory Porters Diamond Theory (1990) emphasises global patterns of FDI based on different country characteristics. He explained why certain countries tend to become leaders in some activities by using examples of sophisticated industries. According to him, firms that have successfully globalised their production activities have done so because of their ability to carry their home-based advantages in foreign market. Taking from the shape of a diamond, Porter (1990) maps out that there are four endogenous variables that would affect the decision of the multinational firms to compete internationally. These factors are: Factor conditions the countrys position in terms of factors of production such as infrastructure and skilled labour necessary to compete in a given industry; Demand conditions the nature of home demand for the industrys product or service; Related and supporting industries the presence or absence in the country of supplier industries and related industries that is internationally competitive; and Firm strategy, structure and rivalry the conditions in the country governing how companies are created, organized, and managed, and the nature of domestic rivalry. The role of government and chance are taken as exogenous variables in the model which can influence to a great extent any of the four endogenous variables. Government policy can either impede or help a firms progress and innovation. Chance events can come in the form of technological advancements that create a national competitive advantage for a firm. Porter (1990) stated that different dynamics may exist between the endogenous and exogenous variables, depending on what drives FDI flows namely factor-driven, innovation-driven and wealthdriven. The factor-driven and innovation-driven can be associated with continuous improvement of a countrys competitive advantages that contribute to the development of an economy. On the other hand, the wealth-driven cause can be associated with stagnation and continuous decline that perpetuate a countrys declining economy. The components identified by Porter (1990) are to some extent similar to the host-country characteristics that Dunning (1988) ou tlined in his OLI paradigm. 2.4 Determinants of FDIs Empirical Survey There has been an extensive body of empirical studies trying to explain why some countries were more successful than others in attracting FDI (Moosa Cardak 2003). This plethora of empirical studies have tested and explored the effect of a range of macroeconomic determinants including GDP, GDP growth rate, real GDP per capita, exchange rate policy, openness of the economy, financial stability and physical infrastructure among others. There have also been studies dealing with the impact of socio-political factors such as political stability, education, corruption, political freedom etc., on FDI flows (Dar et al., 2004). The empirical investigation in this paper focuses more on the macroeconomic determinants (pull factors) that will influence the FDI flows in the host country in particular Mauritius by using a time series analysis. Although there have been diverse methodologies used for the determinants of FDIs, it has also been controversial (especially when it comes to the causality effect between FDI and economic growth) so that it is difficult to have a simple model or any strong theoretical foundation to guide an empirical analysis on these issues. Kok, R and Ersoy B A in 2009 have stated that A large number of studies have been conducted to identify the determinants of FDI but no consensus has emerged, in the sense that there is no widely accepted set of explanatory variables that can be regarded as true determinants of FDI. While some parameters are comprehensively discussed and of high relevance, it remains unclear how these interact. However, the results of past studies be it panel data or t ime series analysis for a specific category of countries or regions have been employed as an imperfect but useful guide. Given the vast amount of empirical literature on the determinants of FDI especially during the last few decades, the present section will elaborate on those studies which take on board Mauritius be it as small island economies or as a regional economic community namely SADC, Sub-Saharan African countries. Also those studies will be taken on board where time series analysis have been undertaken for specific countries using almost the same key determinants for FDI as those being proposed in the model of this paper. Wint and Williams (2002), Thomas et al (2005) and Wijeweera and Mounter (2008) have been using economic factors such as the target countrys market size, income level, market growth rate, inflation rates, interest rate and current account positions to explain the determinants of FDI. They found that a positive interest rate differential assist in attracting FDI inflows as MNCs get the incentive to invest in foreign countries with positive interest rate differential barring the fact that there is no major fluctuation in the exchange rate. In the same vein, Cleeve  (2008) using a multivariate regression model for 16 Sub Saharan Countries and trying to capture economic stability through the proxy (nominal exchange rate adjusted deflator), has shown that this variable is statistically effective. Rogoff and Reinhart (2002) and Wint and Williams (2002) show that a stable country attracts more FDI implying that a low inflation environment is desirable to promote capital inflows. Ali and Guo (2005) and Choudhury and Mavrotas (2006) have indicated that there is a strong relationship between the money growth acting as a proxy for financial stability in the host country and its effects in attracting FDI. Asiedu (2006) using a panel data for 22 Sub Saharan African countries has also shown that inflation rate depicts a negatively and statistically significant effect. However, under Mhlanga et al (2010) multivariate regression model for 14 SADC countries (Southern African Development Community), the inflation rate independent variable does not have any effect as it is statistically insignificant. In terms of the importance of capturing human capital development, both Asiedu (2006) and Cleeve (2008) made use of the percentage of adult literacy and secondary school education index respectively. Both indicators have proved to be not only positive (that is higher stock of human capital will increase FDI) but also statistically significant. According to Helleiner (1998), investment incentives by host country such as tax holiday appear to play a limited role to attract the MNCs as those incentives are believed to compensate for other comparative disadvantages. On the contrary, it is generally believed that removing restrictions and providing good operating conditions will positively affect FDI inflows. This has been reinforced through Cleeve (2008) whereby he found that proxies like temporary tax incentives, tax concessions and profit repatriation when used to capture financial and economic  incentives are statistically insignificant. It goes without saying that in order to attract FDI, economic liberalization is important both internally and externally. This has been translated in several empirical studies even for SADC countries and Sub Saharan African countries from Cleeve (2008) and Mhlanga et al (2010). The famous proxy used for openness of the economy, remains the total value of exports plus imports divided by the level of national income (GDP) although Asiedu (2006) uses an openness index from the International Country Risk Guide which also proved to be positive and statistically significant. In 2008, D.Ramjee Singh, Hilton McDavid, A.Birch and Allan Wright used a linear cross-sectional model of 29 small developing countries having a population of less than 5 million to test for the statistical significance of the determinants of FDI. They found that several of the traditional variables such as infrastructure, economic growth and openness to trade do promote the flow of FDI to small developing nation states. The focus of tourism has also been highlighted in the study. Contrary to expectation the role of market size as a determinant was found to be insignificant basically as the sample taken being small economies. With regard to infrastructure per se, Asiedu (2006) and Mhlanga et al (2010) have pointed out that the proxies (number of phone lines per 1,000 inhabitants and number of landline and mobile subscribers per 1,000 inhabitants) did matter for the 22 Sub Saharan African countries and 14 SADC countries respectively. There has been previous research done with regards to the determinants of FDI in  Mauritius (Seetanah B and Rojid S; 2011) applying a reduced-form specification for a demand for inward direct investment function using dynamic framework and a differenced vector autoregressive model using data from 1990 to 2007. The variables used were size of the country, wage rate, trade/GDP, the secondary education enrolment rate and tax rate. The findings revealed that the most instrumental factors appear to be trade openness, wages and quality of labour in the country. Size of market is reported to have relatively lesser impact on FDI. The present research would use more independent variables in view of capturing a maximum variation of the model and also using data from year 1976 to 2011 which would enable the capturing of the impact of the global financial crisis of 2007/2008. There were also important policy decisions taken in the period post 2006 and the present model would try to capture the effect of those important policies. New explanatory variables would supplement the existing literature on the determinants of FDI in Mauritius and trying to use those independent variables would capture the maximum variation in the FDI inflows.

Why Nicholas II Survived the Revolution of 1905 but Not that of 1917 Es

Why Nicholas II Survived the Revolution of 1905 but Not that of 1917 When Father Gapon and his followers marched peacefully on the Winter Palace on 22nd January in what came to be known as Bloody Sunday due to the extreme reaction leading to the massacre of the protestors, it sparked the revolution of 1905, consisting of workers' strikes and protests in addition to terrorising the wealthy and important upper classes. As well as being a response to Bloody Sunday, the 1905 revolution was a result of pent up dissatisfaction with the autocracy in Russia and with the vast social inequality. However, in spite of the unrest within the country, the tsar managed to retain power after this revolution. In 1917, when the people revolted again, he was not so lucky, and the autocracy fell. There are many reasons why the Tsar was able to survive the 1905 revolution, not least of which was the benefit of good ministers to advise him well. Stolypin tried to have a moderating influence on the Tsar and to help him make concessions to the people which would promise to improve their lives enough that the revolution would die down. However, by 1917 both Stolypin and Witte were dead, and the Tsarina Alexandra was in charge of the running of the country due to the Tsar's absence to the front to fight with the army. During the time in which he was away, Alexandra replaced many of Nicholas' ministers with her own personal favourites, most of whom were poorly equipped to hold such influential positions at such an unstable time. Due to this, the Tsar had few capable ministers to advise him through the crisis when revolution broke out and help him emerge unsca... ...es stipulated therein played a large part in his downfall in 1917. The emergence of the free press after 1905 granted the right to express opinions by publication meant that the Tsar was widely criticised to the public for the first time, whereas previously none of his wrong-doings had ever been made known, and he was viewed as ordained by god. Now however the Russians began to see him as fallible and to question his actions, leading to further unrest. Similarly, and perhaps most importantly, the Duma in 1917 provided a viable alternative to the autocracy which had not been present in 1905. Ironically, just as freeing the serfs had led to them wanting more and assassinating Tsar Alexander II, Nicholas' grandfather, so granting the people their Duma in 1905 in part led to the eventual downfall of the Tsar in 1917.

Genetic Testing at Burlington

Genetic Testing at Burlington Northern People wake up everyday, get ready for day, and start off to work. At work we never think about dying or getting hurt. So we do not worry enough , and we believe that our workplace is safe. But unfortunately there were some fatalities, while people at work, this fatalities and accidents are still going on. Companies must care about their workers' safety and keep their environment without any danger. For this reason companies should care about ethical values.In October 2000, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad's medical department requested a blood test from Gary Avary, in purpose of a DNA test without his permission. Accidentaly he realized that, but Burlington Northern said him that if would not accept this request, he would fired. They tried to cheat their workers and make some irrelevant test about their Carpel tunnel surgery which is against ADA. At the end of this case BSNF settled the suit by agreeing to halt genetic testing and to pay 3 6 employees $2. 2 million.Because except this fake for workers, it as some mistakes against workers in work environment. First of all Kantian ethics respet to person, and we never ever should not forget that our workers are human beings like us. You should always snow respect their existence, health and safety. Secondly, BSNF lied about their health conditions. They said reason is deletion of 17th chromosome, but there is not any truth like this, so BSNF playing gamble on one person's life. For utilitarian theory, if you get profit, it does not matter what is going on outside.But after his illegal situations , BSNF charged great amount money to pay their workers, first of all it is a huge loss. Moreover they put question marks on their workers' mind. The more question marks on heads , the less utility. As i said first, we always want to beliee that we are in safe in our workplace, otherwise we cannot provide any benefit to our company. As a result BSNF gave totally wrong decisions, and they paid it hard. There is no any ethical dilemma for them. They must keep their environment safe not only for their workers, but also for their benefit.

Blackrock Essay

The Portfolio Analytics Group or (PAG) within Blackrock Solutions utilises Blackrock’s proprietary analytics tools and models, such as the Green Package reporting suite, to measure risk on both a security and portfolio level. This area immediately attracts me as this is exactly the roles and responsibilities that i am looking for with regards to an internship Summer Internship with yourselves. The PAG Analyst role is central in supporting Blackrock’s investment process, producing reports and analytics utilised by all areas of the firm, giving rise to a unique opportunity to see how all functional areas operate and link together. The role is also central in supporting BlackRock Solutions external clients across their investment process and risk management oversight. Therefore this does not only fulfil and provide insight into all the areas that i am so very interested and intrigued by, but also gives a much broader perspective to the wider functions of BlackRock. BlackRock is widely recognized for its disciplined investment process and rigorous risk management. Since its inception, we have focused on the assessment of security and portfolio-level risks for investment decision making as well as for efficient transaction execution. As a result, BlackRock developed an integrated suite of investment management tools that provide solutions to these many varied facets of the business model. All these points help to culminate together in understanding what attracts me personally to an internship with an industry leader such as yourselves. The way you operate as a firm, your corporate culture and identity, plus your track record and that fact that you are so highly regarded within your respective industry fields, all help to see why exactly i am attracted to an internship opportunity at BlackRock, a firm that truly encapsulates everything i am looking for with regards to my future and further professional learning, development, and career prospects.

Free Essays on E-payments

E-Payments The Internet has taken its place beside the telephone and television as an important part of people's lives. Consumers use the Internet to shop, bank and invest online. Most consumers and businesses still use credit or debit cards to pay for online purchases making this the main way for people to pay over the Internet. Even with this fact, technologies such as e-wallets and digital certificates are making big strides into the arena of E-commerce. And how would you like to pay? Most online shoppers use credit cards to pay for their online purchases. But debit cards - which authorize merchants to debit your bank account electronically - are increasing in use. Your debit card may be an automated teller machine (ATM) card that can be used for retail purchases. To complete a debit card transaction, you may have to use a personal identification number (PIN), some form of a signature or other identification, or a combination of these identifiers. Some cards have both credit and debit features: You select the payment option at the point-of-sale. But remember, although a debit card may look like a credit card, the money for debit purchases is transferred almost immediately from your bank account to the merchant's account. In addition, your liability limits for a lost or stolen debit card and unauthorized use are different from your liability if your credit card is lost, stolen or used without your authorization This can create a hassle for both you and your custom ers. In tge business world, that can be very damageing. E-payments can be a the answer that you are looking for. New electronic payment systems, sometimes referred to as "electronic money" or "e-money", are beginning to evolve. Their goal is to make purchasing simpler for both the customer and the business. For example, "stored-value" cards let you transfer cash value to a card. They're commonly used on public transportation, at colleges and universities and at gas s... Free Essays on E-payments Free Essays on E-payments E-Payments The Internet has taken its place beside the telephone and television as an important part of people's lives. Consumers use the Internet to shop, bank and invest online. Most consumers and businesses still use credit or debit cards to pay for online purchases making this the main way for people to pay over the Internet. Even with this fact, technologies such as e-wallets and digital certificates are making big strides into the arena of E-commerce. And how would you like to pay? Most online shoppers use credit cards to pay for their online purchases. But debit cards - which authorize merchants to debit your bank account electronically - are increasing in use. Your debit card may be an automated teller machine (ATM) card that can be used for retail purchases. To complete a debit card transaction, you may have to use a personal identification number (PIN), some form of a signature or other identification, or a combination of these identifiers. Some cards have both credit and debit features: You select the payment option at the point-of-sale. But remember, although a debit card may look like a credit card, the money for debit purchases is transferred almost immediately from your bank account to the merchant's account. In addition, your liability limits for a lost or stolen debit card and unauthorized use are different from your liability if your credit card is lost, stolen or used without your authorization This can create a hassle for both you and your custom ers. In tge business world, that can be very damageing. E-payments can be a the answer that you are looking for. New electronic payment systems, sometimes referred to as "electronic money" or "e-money", are beginning to evolve. Their goal is to make purchasing simpler for both the customer and the business. For example, "stored-value" cards let you transfer cash value to a card. They're commonly used on public transportation, at colleges and universities and at gas s...

Immigrants and nativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Immigrants and nativism - Essay Example This political party would oppress any immigrants for the existing job for the Native Americans (Bennett 179). During the potato famine in the mid 19th century, a huge wave of nativism took part in unite states after the migration of Irish Catholics to the country. Petitions to the congress from the northeastern state suggesting that the immigrants right to vote be limited. The Irish Catholics were barred from holding any public office across many states when the constitution became the law of the land in 1806. In Massachusetts and other colonies by the 1870s, a celebration of Guy Fawkes Day was done by burning the pope in effigy. Allegiance to the pope was viewed to bring political unrest in America by the natives. A national nativist movement was organized by November 1837 by anti-Catholics. With the increase in numbers of immigrants between 1820s-1850s, there was reinforcement of economic, social, and political concern in New York and other points was done. A native majority select committee in the House of Representatives endorsed legislation extending the naturalization period for all the immigrants especially the Irish Catholics who they deemed as uneducated, superstitious and dominated by their priests (Bennett, 174). Though, with much support, the legislation did not pass. A lot of legal restriction soon followed all trying to oppress the immigrants and even trying to get rid of

The Time Back Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Time Back - Essay Example For the rest of the things the inhabitants of Rishyap still have to visit Kalimpong, the nearest town. It was an excursion at that time with friends, exploring the tribes of Himalayas. A group of 45 people who kept the place busy for 7 days. They were young blood that always rushed for adventure at that time, especially when intoxicated by the local beer that contains more alcohol than any other beer of the world. Rishyap was green at that time just like it is now; and the alluring Kanchanjangha, the third highest peak of the world always playing a hide and seek amidst that green and occasional fog. And amidst that hide and seek one day Chimli appeared - Chimli a woman with Mongolian features and a smile that would even bring lightening in a cloudy evening. 20 years is a long time specially to forget someone like Chimli, but the attraction of Kanchanjangha and the serene beauty of Rishyap once again compelled Robin to come here, however this time with his family. Robin has been marri ed to Martha, a doctorate in psychology and has one son, Dave. Robin has availed a package tour that would take him to entire Sikkim and at the end Lava, Lolegaon and Rishyap, his final destintion. From Rishyap they would go to Kolkata and by flight to Mumbai to leave for USA, their country of origin. The evening at Rishyap is enchanting. As one to two and two to three stars appeared in the sky soon to multiply and go uncounted, a fire was set near the hotel to celebrate a campfire in this early January. A local girl was singing a nice tune. Though the words were beyond understanding, yet the tune was heart melting. Robin took a large whisky and a piece of chicken to make the most of this fiery surrounding. Soon a peg became two and two became three. Alcohol often helps to recollect past events especially if they are covered deep under the dust of subsequent events that has followed over the years. It was a similar evening 20 years back. All his friends were having a good time with their booze and getting themselves warm around the fire that was burning beneath the open sky. Chimli was singing a local song and some one was playing a drum like instrument. The environment was cosy and enjoyable. One after another, all his friends moved to their respective rooms when they felt the whisky was becoming too much to bear with. Only Robin sat and Chimli kept on singing. The fire was almost dying and Robin failed to gauge the intensity of the alcohol he was consuming at that time. Soon he realised it was not possible for him to take himself to his room as he was floating in alcohol rather than walking on land. Chimli came to rescue. she held him around his waist and took him to his room. Robin felt the soft touches that were irresistible for someone of his age and especially under booze. The room was dark and while Chimli was trying to put Robin to bed, owing to the weight of Robin and his state they both rolled over the bed. The rest Robin remembers little; just that there was not much resistance from Chimli against whatever had happened and she disappeared in the darkness once it was over. Robin never saw Chimli again, the next day he looked for her but she was nowhere to be seen. Then they left Rishyap and soon Chimli became an event out of intoxication. Robin’s eyelids were now heavy, his hands merely reaching the glass and his feet seemed to be buried into the